aHosted.com, don’t steal my design!

So this guy from aHosted doesn’t seem to care about copyrights. At least not when it comes to web design. He stole a design I had a designer do for me. Unfortunately he wasn’t smart enough to avoid it being discovered. What is even worse is that this guy actually offers it to others in return for links.

Today when I checked my e-mail there was a new Google alert for my name. Apparently my name was mentioned on a page at efootie.com so I went onto the page to see how that could be. I was surprised when I saw a the wordpress theme I’ve got custom made by a designer back in august.

Well the design used on efootie.com was a bit different since the caricature of me wasn’t there and a few colors was altered. Anyway, I couldn’t find my name on the page so I checked Google’s cache which showed the exact design I had made for me. You can see a screenshot of Google’s cache below and the original design here. See the content of the two red boxes.

After I concluded that he stole my design I considered what to do. I ended up with the idea of e-mailing him to compliment the design, ask him where he got it or if he made it, and if I could get a copy to use. This of course I’d do under a fake name so he wouldn’t figure it out. I looked up his domains and found his name and address. So here’s the e-mail I sent to him:

Hi! I really like the wordpress theme you are using on efootie.com - can you tell me where you found it? Or did you make it and can I get a copy to use it? Hoping for your reply! Best regards, Erik Jensen

And guess what.. Within few hours he replied with this:

Hi Erik, I found it a long time ago and converted it to wordpress myself. Although its not perfectly done and needs a lot of work. I can send it you in return for a link? I presume you already have hosting for the planned blog? Kind regards aHosted

I find it funny that he admits he found it and apparently he thought he could just use it. But I do hate that he’s offering it in return for links. So now I’ve sent him this e-mail:

Hi aHosted, You’re using a web design without permission from me, the owner. I have posted about it on my blog: http://stefanjuhl.com/2006/aHosted-dont-steal-my-design/ So I want you to: * Stop using my web design. * Stop offering it to others for links. * Give me a public apology. Best regards, Stefan Juhl

Now I’m just waiting for a response on this from this guy from aHosted. And aHosted, if you read this then feel free to give me an apology in the comments!